The Great War
The Third Crusade Fails When Pope Gregory III called for the third crusade, tensions were high between major European nations due to the discovery of French involvement in the Black Feast. When the crusade itself was called, Baccanerian and Galportugese forces were sent directly to Damascus, whereas French forces diverged to the north with the message "we are flanking". Shortly after, King Tristan of Baccaneria received reports that French ships had been sighted in the Aegean and were headed towards Constantinople. In immediate retaliation, Baccanerian fire sloops surrounded the fleet and, in one of the most tense moments in European history, Galportug's fleet surrounded them as well. Using the French ships as hostages, the Baccanerians guided the French army back to Rome, where they hoped Sturmland would trap them. Foreign Intervention at the same time, Russian forces invaded Genosha upon hearing of the French army centered in Baccaneria, swiftly taking the lightly defended city of Mycroft and continuing west. Imperia also invaded, taking French ports on the Atlantic coast, and Norsephalian refugees seized Corsica. Galportug swiftly reclaimed Genosha for itself, turning on their Frencn allies with a refusal to return the land. Lord Tommen I for France even began to rally the lords of France, petitioning that King Thomas III be removed from the throne. Sturmland and the Battle of the Alps Sturmalnd, meanwhile, refused to fight the French forces advancing through their lands, much to the dismay of Baccaneria. This would lead to the eventual Baccanerian blockade of Strumland in order to force them into obliging their contract as an ally and fighting to aid Baccaneria, a source of tension that would last until the Satanic War between 1320 and 1350 AD, almost 150 years later. Baccanerian forces would attempt to stop the French in the historically bloody Battle of the Alps, in an effort that failed yet removed a significant chunk of the French force. 200,000 or more French troops bored their way through 15,000 Baccanerians at the cost of between 40,000 and 60,000 Frenchmen. The Frenchwould beat back the Imperians, but tensions with Galportug prevented an immediate counter to Russia (or Baccanerian forces that would soon land on French shores in retaliation). The Rise of Tommen I and End of the War King Thomas III was deposed by a combination of angry peasants and Lord Tommen I, returning from his position as occupational governor of surrendered Imperia. His economy was rapidly failing due to the war and he immediately sued for peace with all involved. Baccaneria, Russia and Imperia all partitioned the lands formerly belonging to Genosha at Baccanerian suggestion, and King Thomas III was officially deposed. Legacy of the Great War it can be said that the Great War was the most devastating war ever to take place in europee, with an estimated 200,000 men lost in battle, not counting civilians. It also arguably resulted in the end of Baccaneriass expansion into Islamic lands, causing a failed crusade to make them lose Georgia and Syria. The War forced a strong alliance between Baccaneria and Russia, and gave cause to warm previously icy relations between them and Galportug. Imperian expenses on the war weakened their economy, leading eventually to their collapse at the hands of Galportug. with France out of the way, Galportug became a superpower in the West, wielding the largest navy the world had ever seen. France, in the other hand, saw its economy collapse into continual depression, and an end as a major world power. Other than a small troop donation to the fourth Crusade on Antioch, they would not figtt in any future holy wars as they had in the past.